Chapter 35
Capture

Katara lay on her stomach chewing on her bottom lip. She turned the page of her book but hadn't seen a single word on the page. Her eyes drifted down to the two plates before her and she frowned at the contents. How on earth had she thought pickles on salted pork was delicious only five minutes ago and now the sight of it made her ill? Her time spent here was making her crazy. She was sick of being stuck inside. Her eyes traveled over to the other occupant of the room who looked equally bored.

Kaili was pacing by the window and she pitied him being cooped up with her all day. She knew he probably wanted to get out and help clear up the rebels in the fire nation.

She bit down hard on her lip to stop the tears. It had been another week and this one had been worse than the one before. Zuko was changing and not in a good way. She'd like to believe that it was just the fact that with his hair growing longer he looked more like Ozai but some other things were changing. After the report from the destroyed refugee camp Zuko had ordered General Shun be found and beheaded for treason. The family of the General had been placed under house arrest to be certain that if he contacted them the word would be brought to him immediately.

Katara imagined the General's wife was probably sitting like her now, trying to figure out what to do with herself. She was probably trying desperately to think of an explanation for her children as to why they couldn't go out and play.

She'd like to say this was the worst but in just one week Zuko had, had at least three generals beheaded for failure to put down rebellions in their sect of the city. He'd also imposed a curfew on the imperial city. For failure to locate the ones responsible for the chaos in the city Zuko had stripped at least five men of their titles.

Azula had completely retreated from the public eye now. She had sunk into a deep depression and she didn't want to be seen as influencing her brother in these decisions. She'd gone once to try to talk to him but she too had been shut out.

Katara sighed wishing she knew when Aang was coming back so she'd at least have one close friend right now and hopefully Azula would perk up with her bending back. She still wasn't sure what to do about her loneliness here. At this point she couldn't even tell if Zuko still came to bed at night. She went to sleep alone and rose equally alone. She had to request an audience with him and even then they had all been canceled just moments before because there were other more important things that needed his attention at the moment.

She threw her book at the wall. Kaili stopped pacing and stared at her. She immediately felt guilty for her sudden outburst at the bewildered look he was giving her.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so frustrated. There has to be something that I can do. This marriage is about working together and we haven't exactly been working together. In fact, we don't even see each other anymore. I just want to scream, cry, hit him, something. There are two people in this relationship but he's completely forgotten about that." Katara ranted. "I just wish I could get him to sit down for a minute and listen to me. I can't believe I actually…"

She stopped, sniffing. She felt stupid. She'd believed they were really in this together. She had trusted that he'd be there for her and in return she could be there for him. She was mad at herself for crying but her nerves were frayed and she couldn't seem to get a handle on her emotions lately.

"For a moment in time we were happy and I let myself believe that was the way things were going to be but that was stupid. We were just caught up in the moment. I have neither his love nor his friendship." Katara sighed.

"I'm sure that's not true." Kaili said, soothingly. He stood next to her now and she watched him silently. She frowned at the face he was making, he seemed to be having some sort of internal battle.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He flashed her a grin.

"Nothing, I was, uh…" He laughed. "I'm not used to comforting someone above my station. I'd hate to offend you."

She puzzled over that one for a minute and then let out a small laugh. She patted the space next to her.

"You can speak freely. I don't like the idea of servants." She said.

He only hesitated for a minute and then nodded and took a seat next to her.

"The Fire Lord is under a lot of stress and pressure to perform." Kaili began.

"So he has to be cruel now?" She cut him off.

"I'm sure he doesn't mean to be. He's being called weak. There are people in this nation who may or may not have supported Ozai in the past but they can agree on one thing, this sort of chaos never happened during his reign. So the people are scared. They're saying and doing stupid things and the only way the Fire Lord knows how to show strength, comparable to his father's is to perhaps for a while use his father's method of thinking." Kaili said.

"That doesn't make it okay." Katara snapped.

"You're right."

"And he doesn't have to shut me out." She whispered.

"I'm sure he doesn't mean to do that."

She snorted and dropped her head down to rest on her raised knees.

"I'm serious Lady Katara. You are beautiful, smart, brave, an excellent fighter…" He dipped his head down to be eye level with her. "I can't think of a single thing not to love about you. He's a bit distracted now but he'll come back."

"That's not the point. I mean yes, I do want him back with me but what bothers me is how easily he just turned it all off. He doesn't seem to care at all, he's not in the slightest bothered that he hasn't seen me in days. Why am I the only one who feels so torn up about it? Why doesn't he love me like I…" She shook her head. Why was she thinking like this? Maybe she'd been wrong. People couldn't fall in love that fast. That's why he could feel nothing about just abandoning her here.

Abandoned. She finally had the word to sum up her feelings. Not only was she physically abandoned she felt emotionally abandoned. She wasn't being cared for or supported in this relationship. She'd been a fool to think she would be.

"Well, I am willing to stake my life on the fact that he misses you just as much as you miss him. You're feeling lonely because this isn't you home nation and you're friends have gone back home but you have to know you're not alone here."

"Aren't I?" She sighed.

"Nope, you've got me." He grinned. She couldn't help but smile back, he looked so much like a happy little boy when he grinned like that.

"Thanks Kaili." She whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder for a moment.

- -

Azula was sitting alone in her room staring blankly at the Pia Sho table before her. The past couple of weeks had been spent for the most part alone or in Katara's company. She just didn't feel much up to socializing without her bending. It was like a void in her life and she was very much aware that it was missing. The further away Aang got the less she could sense him. He was all the way in Omashu by now and all that was left of their connection was the faintest heartbeat fighting for recognition at the back of her mind. She couldn't hear him in her head and she couldn't really discern any emotions. He was like a ghost to her now.

Sighing, she felt more bored an alone that she had in her entire life. Well, not completely alone.

Azula felt eyes on her. It shouldn't have been that strange because someone was always watching her now, just waiting for her to screw up or go crazy again. She tried to ignore it but the intense stare was making her paranoid. She wished Zuko would permit her to carry at least a small weapon since she couldn't bend with Aang so far away but she also understood his reasons for not letting her have one.

She eyed the doors to her chambers for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Her brother had increased the number of guards at her door. Apparently there were whispered of people who either wanted to abduct or kill her. Those who wanted to kill her believed that she was advising her brother so that when he lost power she could claim it. Those who wanted to capture her, had seen her performance at the tournament and believed she was the closest to Ozai that they could get. They wanted to kill her brother and put her on the throne. Both options made her uncomfortable. All she wanted was to stay in her room and mope until Aang got back.

She tried to shake off the eerie feeling of not being completely alone and focus on her game of Pia Sho. It bothered her that she couldn't hear her guards outside shifting their weight from foot to foot and huffing out heavy sighs of boredom but she was determined not to panic. Before anyone could get to her door they'd have to get into the palace and with the amount of security Zuko had raised that had to be nearly impossible.

She squeezed a Pia Sho chip tightly in her hand, trying desperately to believe that. She was also trying to ignore the eyes. She couldn't see anyone but she was certain someone was watching her.

She felt an odd stirring in the air and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. This was getting irritating.

"Who's there?" she called standing up and whipping around with an arm up and ready to defend herself if necessary. "Stop hiding that's annoying. If you have something to say, come out and say it…please."

"If that's the way you want it princess." General Kawamura chuckled, stepping into the room. "Is this better?"

"What do you want?" She asked, arms still raised. She didn't like this guy, he made her incredibly uncomfortable. He was always staring at her since she had come back to court and if she weren't trying to be good she'd have punished him already. And shouldn't he be gone by now? She could have sworn she had seen him leave and distinctly remembered her short inner celebration. When had he come back? Why hadn't she known he was back? Her brother hated this man he had absolutely no reason to be back and especially not in her chambers. How did he get in? Her eyes flickered to the door. Where were her guards?

"Isn't it obvious? I came back for you. I want you." His smirk sent chills down her spine.

"I don't understand."

'You creep.' She wanted to shout it at him. She couldn't imagine why her brother would have him back here but if he was on official business it wasn't wise to insult him, not with all the attacks going on.

"Oh, but you will princess. You will real soon." Advisor Hiromu's voice caused Azula to spin sharply around and face behind her.

'They're both back? What is going on here? Are we even having peace talks with the Earth kingdom anymore? There's enough drama without these two around.'

She shouldn't have taken her eyes off of Kawamura because in that moment he wrapped an arm around her waist and covered her mouth with a moist cloth.

She struggled against him, trying to scream to her guards. Damn Zuko for not permitting her a weapon.

Her elbow hit Kawamura in the gut and he released her. She spun around knocking the cloth out of his hands and then punched him in the throat. He dropped to his knees choking.

Azula turned around to fight Hiromu but her vision was already blurring. The damage was done when she made the mistake of inhaling against the cloth. She struck at the advisor but fell forward in her dizzy attempt.

"What did you do to me?" She growled.

"You're paralyzed princess but don't worry, you'll get feeling back in your arms and legs soon enough but for now we need you as our prisoner." Hiromu smiled.

Kawamura gave an irritated growl as he pushed himself up off the floor.

"I ought to kill you for that." He said, rubbing his throat. "Fortunately for you, you're more valuable to me alive right now."

He grabbed her up by her hair and Hiromu cuffed her arms and legs.

"We're going for a short trip. Hope you don't mind." Kawamura laughed in her face as she slowly lost consciousness.

(A/N: Before you start throwing the flames, I know Azula's got mad skills and could have saved herself under normal circumstances but she's not exactly at the top of her game right now so give me a break, I had to do it for the plot so…don't flame me, keep reading…then if you hate it at the end of the story, not the chapter go for it.)

- -

Aang was lying on his back, resting in hammock. The cool night air whispered over him as he slept and in his mind he was once again on the beach.

Azula sat at the water's edge watching the sun set. He smiled and called out to her. She turned looking at him as she had before and he ran to her, only she seemed to be getting further and further away.

Aang stiffened in his sleep.

His mouth opened to call out to her, to point out the huge wave rising up behind her. She didn't even notice because she was looking at him. He was pointing and gesturing wildly and then the wave overcame her. She was drowning. He was running.

He saw her reach out to him and his hand reached back. He was so close, his fingertips almost reaching her…

And then he woke up. There was a pain in his head and he could feel her distress. Something was wrong. For the past week and a half he had felt nothing but the faint beat in the back of his head and suddenly his brain seemed to be splitting in two from the pain. He had to get back to the Fire Nation and he had to do it now.

Running outside, he didn't bother to leave a note. He climbed up onto Appa and called out to Momo.

(A/N: I know, that's two dark ones in a row. There will be more fluff in the future but you know the cliché, you have to go through the dark to find the light and blah blah. Please review.)